In the living room, the fireplace's original tile was stained with a dark wax. The columns between the living room and dining room also are original to the home.
Photo: Text by Lori Johnston/Photos by Christopher Oquendo Photography

Couple transforms ‘uninhabitable’ bungalow into Virginia-Highland gem

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Aug 30, 2018

By Lori Johnston

Fast Copy News Service

No electricity or running water didn’t stop Charlie Lefort and John Peter Casey from purchasing a bungalow in Atlanta’s Virginia-Highland neighborhood. But those problems and others, like the kitchen ceiling falling in, kept them from moving in immediately.

“It was uninhabitable. Everything had to be replaced,” Lefort said.

But they saw positives throughout the home, from its oversized rooms to original fireplaces, windows and heart pine floors. The home, which also now has an addition on the back, will be featured on the neighborhood’s home tour later this year.

“It was untouched. Nobody had done a poor renovation that we would have to undo,” Lefort said. “It was in its original state.”

Renovations: They started a down-to-the-studs renovation in 2005, before moving into the home. Ten years later, they expanded the back with a two-story addition. “There was an unused attic with a 15-foot pitch that we were able to put three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths in without leaving the footprint of the house,” Lefort said. In 2016, a backyard update was completed.

“Everything doesn’t have to be done at the same time. We did the first floor first. Then we got in it and then we did the second floor. Then we did the backyard,” Lefort said. “We didn’t try to do it all, which I think a lot of people do because they want instant gratification and perfect and complete, but we like to sort of phase it out. It gives us something to focus on, and I think you get better results when you have time and patience — and money.”

Interior design style: Traditional with contemporary elements

Favorite interior design elements: 18th-century English furnishings, including chests and a kitchen prep table that serves as a coffee table.

Favorite outdoor elements: Deck with a fireplace and L-shaped porch, which covers the front and side of the home. They also added copper gutters. “We feel like that really spoke to the integrity of when the house was built,” Lefort said.

Resources: Furniture from Stanton Home Furnishings and Bungalow Classic.

Tip: “The No. 1 thing would be to get an architect. It’s worth the money,” Lefort said. “To try to do it yourself without the assistance of an architect, really, you’d wind up probably spending more money.”